Measuring feeder



Aug. 6; 1929. c. o. FLOWERS MEASURING FEEDER F iled Dec. 51, 1927 4 Sheets-sheaf, 1

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Aug. 6, 1929. c. o. FLOWERS MEASURING FEEDER Filed Dec. 31, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H I fivenfar arerzc'eflfiaweni M g- 2 c. o. FLOWERS 1,723,025

MEASURING FEEDER Filed Dec. 31, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 6, 1929. c. o. FLOWERS MEASURING FEEDER Filed Dec. 31, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [72 UZzz/or Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES CLARENCE O. FLOWERS, OF READING, EE 'i SCHAEFER COMPANY, OF GEIGAGO, 1

Application filed December 31, 1327.

hiy invention relates to improvements in measuring feeders and has for one ob ect to provide a new and improved type of feeder wherein the driving and working connection between the skip and bucket and feeder and gate are simplified. Another object is to provide a device wherein the bucket itself is independent of the counterweight and operates the loading gate. Another objectis to provide a compact, simple and durable equipment for measuring and feeding coal and the like. Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2.2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1; V v

Figure 4 is a vertical section showing the parts in difierent positions.

Like parts are indicated by like charactors throughout the specification and drawings.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with a mixing and handling apparatus such as is illustrated in Ross Patent No. 1,577,365 though it will be evident that my invention might be equally well applied where but a single feeder loadsinto a bucket.

A A are bins adapted to contain coal or similar finely divided material. They are spaced apart, there being suflicient room between them for a skip or bucket elevator which travels along vertical tracks A A the bucket being indicated at A A is a hoisting cable to raise and lower the bucket. The bucket is open at the top and has a discharge door A at the bottom which door is held closed by a roller A traveling along a roller track A. The means for dumping the load from the bucket at the top of its excursion at the end of the track A forming no part of my invention and not here illustrated or described. The bins A A are similar except that they are reversed so that each one of them discharges inwardly toward the end of the bucket. A description of one will therefore suflice for both.

Each of the bins A A has an inclined bottom floor B discharging through a port B into a measuring hopper B 13 is an MEAESUEIIIG 1 1,723,025 PATENT OFFICE..

GNOR TO ROBERTS AND 'IIQN OF ILLINOIS.

Serial No. 243,788.

adjustment plate adapted to drop down'by gravity across the throat B This gateis suspended by chains B passing over a sheave B and wound about a shaft B controlled by a hand wheel B whereby the operator may manually control the effective opening of the discharge throat from each of the hoppers, which opening under normal conditions will be set and allowed to remain 'ithout adjustment.

C is a fiat gate pivoted on the bottom of the measuring hopper B hen in the discharge position it er: ends as a continuation of the downwardly inclined floor of the hopper if to permit discharge from the measuring hopper into the bucket. C is a bracket-on the bucket provided with a roller G which roller may engage the underside of the gate C to raise it from a position where it prolongs the bottom of the measur ing hopper into the closed position as indicated to close the hopper. This takes place when the bucket travels up on its upward excursion. The gate C when in the closed position is held shut by a latch C which will not be described in detail as it forms no part of the invention. Thus when the bucket is in the down position the measuring hopper is free to discharge into it and when it is in the upper position the measuring hopper will be closed to prevent discharge of material from the measuring hopper into the bucket shaft in the absence of the bucket.

D is an undercut gate pivoted at D and adapted to work back and forth across the throat B This undercut gate has side flanges 13 between which extends a brace member D Extending forwardly from this brace member is an operating nose D which nose is in line with the bucket roller C so that as the bucket comes up, it will engage this nose and move it from the out wardly projecting position where the undercut gate is closed back up out of line with the bucket to open the undercut gate. The inertia of this gate in its movementimparted by the bucket is sufficient to swing it up far enough so that it will remain out of line with the bucket and not interfere with it upon its return travel. D D are cables extending from the member D about sheaves D then downwardly along the path of the bucket to the cross member D, which cross member may be engaged by the bucket bottom as it descends to pull on these cables and close the undercut gate after the bucket has gone down far enough to open the discharge gate from the measuring hopper. Thus the bucket itself directly opens and closes both the undercut gate to control the flow into the measuring hopper and the flap gate to prevent fiow from the measuring hopper.

Pivoted on the cross member D is an adjusting plate E. This plate is curved and extends down behind the undercut gate but slightly above it. E are adjusting bars pivoted on the free end of the gate slidable in the sleeve E on the gate flap D and adapted to be held in place by a set screw E Adjustment marks are placed on this arm to indicate the position it and the member E must assume to control the volume of flow through the undercut gate and limit the amount of material that passes into the measuring hopper, this being important es pecially in connection with a device where two measuring hoppers are used both feeding to a single bucket for the purpose of mixing different materials as they are fed to the bucket. Obviously the distance between the plate E and the undercut gate D controls the amount of material which'may flow into the measuring hopper and hence by manipulation of the two members E in connection with the two measuring hoppers, the operator can control the relative amount of different types of material fed simultaneously to the bucket.

i I claim: 7

1. In combination a single hoisting bucket, a bin adapted to discharge material thereinto when it is at the lower end of its excursion, a measuring hopper fixed in position and interposed between the bin and the bucket, an undercut gate adapted to control the flow of the materlal from the bin to the measuring hopper, a second gate adapted to control the flow of material from the hopper to the bucket, means associated with the single bucket only for opening and closing both gates.

52. In combination a hoisting bucket, a bin adapted to discharge material thereinto when it is at the lower end of its excursion, a measuring hopper fixed in position and interposed between the bin and the bucket, an undercut gate pivoted intermediate the bin and the bucket and adapted to control the flow of the material from the bin to the measuring hopper, a second gate adapted to control the flow of material from the hopper to the bucket, means associated with the bucket only for opening and closing both gates, a member fixed on and projecting forwardly from the undercut gate into the path of the bucket and adapted to be contacted by the bucket as it starts up, to open the gate.

3. In combination a hoisting bucket, a bin adapted to discharge material thereinto when it is at the lower end of its excursion, a measuring hopper fixed in position and interposed between the bin and the bucket, an undercut gate pivoted intermediate the bin and the bucket and adapted to control the fiow'ot the material from the bin to the measuring hopper, a second gate adapted to control the flow of material from the hopper to the bucket, means associated with the bucket only for opening and closing both gates, a member fixed on and projecting forwardly from the undercutgate intothe path of the bucket and adapted to be contacted by the bucket as ,it starts up, to open the gate, and means in the path of the bucket connected to the gate to close it by engages ment with the bucket as the bucket reaches theend ofits return movement to the loading point.

Signed at orth, county of McDowell and I State of West Virginia, this 19th day of December, 1927. r V

CLARENCE o. rtownns. 

